This invention relates generally to water flume amusement rides, and more particularly to an improved structure of the water flume itself.
Water flume rides have in recent years become a very popular part of large amusement parks. Typically, a water trough is provided from a high elevation to a lower elevation, with turns and sharp drops in elevation provided. Water is pumped up to the top of the trough and allowed to fall under the influence of gravity to the bottom of the trough. Passenger carrying boats are elevated from a passenger loading platform to the top of the trough and then allowed to be carried by the falling water to the bottom of the trough. The turns and drops in elevation give a thrilling ride for the passengers. Such rides have been sold by the Arrow Development Company of Mountain View, Calif., assignee of the present application, for a number of years and permanently installed in a number of large amusement parks. An example of such a ride is described in its U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,161. Such rides are permanent installations of welded steel reinforced water flume sections.
It is a principle object of the present invention to provide a water flume ride construction of lower costs, with trough sections of lighter weight and easy to assemble, and which can be readily disassembled for movement to a different site.